There Once Was In Rome... - the Septizonium

the Septizonium, etching dated 1546	Prior to the 16th century, anybody walking along the present via di San Gregorio, i.e. the valley between the Palatine and Coelian hills, that from the Circus Maximus runs towards the Colosseum, would have certainly noticed an ancient ruin, tall and with a curious shape, located on the northern side of the street, right in front of the church of San Gregorio Magno. Generally known as Septizonium (but it also had other names, as will be said later), its structure had an L-shaped section, with three floors or levels, each of which surrounded by columns. Obviously, it was only a fragment of the original building, much more grand, a huge prospect made of several sections, some similar to the surviving one, others with a tall niche in the lower half, arranged in alternate order (see the reconstruction, below): this gave the structure a greater depth, and enhanced the shadows and lights effect at its best. Who had the Septizonium built at the beginning of the 3rd century was Septimius Severus; during his reign (193-211), the emperor had refurbished the imperial district on the Palatine hill, probably including this project as a finishing touch to the works.

Prior to the 16th century, anybody walking along the present via di San Gregorio, i.e. the valley between the Palatine and Coelian hills, that from the Circus Maximus runs towards the Colosseum, would have certainly noticed an ancient ruin, tall and with a curious shape, located on the northern side of the street, right in front of the church of San Gregorio Magno.

Generally known as Septizonium (but it also had other names, as will be said later), its structure had an L-shaped section, with three floors or levels, each of which surrounded by columns.
Obviously, it was only a fragment of the original building, much more grand, a huge prospect made of several sections, some similar to the surviving one, others with a tall niche in the lower half, arranged in alternate order (see the reconstruction, below): this gave the structure a greater depth, and enhanced the shadows and lights effect at its best.
Who had the Septizonium built at the beginning of the 3rd century was Septimius Severus; during his reign (193-211), the emperor had refurbished the imperial district on the Palatine hill, probably including this project as a finishing touch to the works.

If this were true, the Septizonium may have been built with this shape so to mimic a majestic library. a reconstruction of the Septizonium	the Roman library of Ephesus

If this were true, the Septizonium may have been built with this shape so to mimic a majestic library.

the Septizonium (a reconstruction)

a reconstruction of the Septizonium

The building in Rome had the dual purpose of acting as a lavish front of the imperial district, and as a majestic nymphaeum, as it was decorated with statues, plants, fountains, etc. It looked towards the south, i.e. towards the Appian way, which sprung just beyond this spot, so that whoever came to Rome from that direction, entering the city would have been welcomed by the awing view. We can imagine that when the emperors no longer dwelt on the Palatine Hill - already in the 4th century Constantine lived by the Lateran, in a different part of Rome - the Septizonium endured the effects of carelessness and earthquakes, ending up throughout the Middle Ages as a quarry of precious and costless building material, what caused the loss of all the marble within reach.	the Septizonium (į) before San Gregorio, between the Circus Maximus (✶) and the Appian way (ˇ)

The building in Rome had the dual purpose of acting as a lavish front of the imperial district, and as a majestic nymphaeum, as it was decorated with statues, plants, fountains, etc.
It looked towards the south, i.e. towards the Appian way, which sprung just beyond this spot, so that whoever came to Rome from that direction, entering the city would have been welcomed by the awing view.

We can imagine that when the emperors no longer dwelt on the Palatine Hill - already in the 4th century Constantine lived by the Lateran, in a different part of Rome - the Septizonium endured the effects of carelessness and earthquakes, ending up throughout the Middle Ages as a quarry of precious and costless building material, what caused the loss of all the marble within reach.

fragment of the Forma Urbis Romae map featuring the left half of the Septizonium	Around the 10th century it was also turned into a stronghold, belonging to the powerful Frangipane family, and some time later it was given to the clerics of the nearby San Gregorio's church. Unlike several other no longer existing buildings, the Septizonium is frequently mentioned by ancient authors, starting with the very biographer of Septimius Severus, Helius Spartianus, who though did not specify the origin of the structure's name. Also the famous Forma Urbis Romae, the huge map of Rome carved in marble that hung by the Temple of Peace, whose making had been sponsored by the same emperor, featured the floor plan of this building (detail below left).

Around the 10th century it was also turned into a stronghold, belonging to the powerful Frangipane family, and some time later it was given to the clerics of the nearby San Gregorio's church.

Unlike several other no longer existing buildings, the Septizonium is frequently mentioned by ancient authors, starting with the very biographer of Septimius Severus, Helius Spartianus, who though did not specify the origin of the structure's name.
Also the famous Forma Urbis Romae, the huge map of Rome carved in marble that hung by the Temple of Peace, whose making had been sponsored by the same emperor, featured the floor plan of this building (detail below left).

Also many other medieval guides report it, with different names that change from one edition to the other. Several of them carry a reference to the sun: Septemsolium (in Mirabilia Urbis Romae, 11th-12th centuries), Septasolis (in Graphia aureae urbis Romae, 12th century), Septem Solia (in Tractatus de rebus antiquis et situ urbis Romae, better known as Magliabechian Anonym, early 15th century); interestingly, nearby stood the church of Santa Lucia in Septa Solis (or in Septisolio), which suggests that these names referred to the seven heavenly spheres, i.e. the seven planets believed to revolve around the Earth, according to the Ptolemaic interpretation of the cosmos. In fact Mariano Armellini, in his well-known work The Churches Of Rome (1891), maintains that further names given to the building were Septem viae or Septem vias (i.e. seven ways), "symbolizing the seven heavenly zones, or heavenly atmospheres".	the Septizonium, with the Palatine hill and a fragment of aqueduct in the background, c.1575

Also many other medieval guides report it, with different names that change from one edition to the other.
Several of them carry a reference to the sun: Septemsolium (in Mirabilia Urbis Romae, 11th-12th centuries), Septasolis (in Graphia aureae urbis Romae, 12th century), Septem Solia (in Tractatus de rebus antiquis et situ urbis Romae, better known as Magliabechian Anonym, early 15th century); interestingly, nearby stood the church of Santa Lucia in Septa Solis (or in Septisolio), which suggests that these names referred to the seven heavenly spheres, i.e. the seven planets believed to revolve around the Earth, according to the Ptolemaic interpretation of the cosmos. In fact Mariano Armellini, in his well-known work The Churches Of Rome (1891), maintains that further names given to the building were Septem viae or Septem vias (i.e. seven ways), "symbolizing the seven heavenly zones, or heavenly atmospheres".

the Septizonium, with the Palatine hill and
a fragment of aqueduct in the background, c.1575

modern view of the site where the Septizonium stood, just south of the Palatine Hill	Biondo Flavio (early 15th century) mentions this building in his Instaurate Romae ("Restored Rome") also as Septodium. Instead the etching by Etienne du Perac (above) has a caption to inform the readers that "the common people call it Vergil's school". Others maintain that the Septizonium may have been named after the same emperor; instead, the hypothesis according to which the name was due to the building's seven floors or levels (as sometimes is found) seems unlikely, because of the size that such a structure would have had.

modern view of the site where the Septizonium stood,
just south of the Palatine Hill

Biondo Flavio (early 15th century) mentions this building in his Instaurate Romae ("Restored Rome") also as Septodium. Instead the etching by Etienne du Perac (above) has a caption to inform the readers that "the common people call it Vergil's school".

Others maintain that the Septizonium may have been named after the same emperor; instead, the hypothesis according to which the name was due to the building's seven floors or levels (as sometimes is found) seems unlikely, because of the size that such a structure would have had.

The curious remain that survived certainly caught the attention of the Renaissance artists, who left us several views of it, thanks to which we now have an idea, yet rather vague, of what lavish look it may have had eighteen centuries ago. Everything came to an end during the reign of pope Sixtus V, who around 1588 did not have any scruple in taking down the few parts left standing of the Septizonium (reputed a pagan work), in order to use the little marble left for his modernization campaign that changed Rome's medieval look into that of a Renaissance city. A hand-written message by the pope, dated May 23rd, 1589, reads as follows: "Cavalier Domenico Fontana, you shall consign to Muzio Mattei, or to whoever he will indicate, five blocks of peperino marble that have been taken from the Septizonium, which we give to him to be used for the making of his fountains in Strada Felice and Strada Pia", i.e. respectively the present via Quattro Fontane and via del Quirinale-via XX Settembre, in whose corners are the so-called Four Fountains (see Fountains, part III page 9).	one of the Four Fountains, built with the marble from the Septizonium

The curious remain that survived certainly caught the attention of the Renaissance artists, who left us several views of it, thanks to which we now have an idea, yet rather vague, of what lavish look it may have had eighteen centuries ago.

Everything came to an end during the reign of pope Sixtus V, who around 1588 did not have any scruple in taking down the few parts left standing of the Septizonium (reputed a pagan work), in order to use the little marble left for his modernization campaign that changed Rome's medieval look into that of a Renaissance city. A hand-written message by the pope, dated May 23rd, 1589, reads as follows: "Cavalier Domenico Fontana, you shall consign to Muzio Mattei, or to whoever he will indicate, five blocks of peperino marble that have been taken from the Septizonium, which we give to him to be used for the making of his fountains in Strada Felice and Strada Pia", i.e. respectively the present via Quattro Fontane and via del Quirinale-via XX Settembre, in whose corners are the so-called Four Fountains (see Fountains, part III page 9).

one of the Four Fountains, built
with the marble from the Septizonium